Weighted Back Extension

HingeBenchDBVest

45-degree back extension with added external load (plate, dumbbell, or weight vest) held to the chest or behind the head to progress beyond bodyweight strength.

Demo: Barbell Medicine

Sets

3

Reps

8-15

Rest

1 min

Contraindications

Same as bodyweight version, amplified by load — avoid loading a rounded spine. Not recommended during acute disc flare-ups. Those with facet joint pain should avoid excessive top-end hyperextension.

Setup

Same 45-degree bench position, weight held against the chest or overhead depending on tolerance.

Execution

  1. 1Hinge forward maintaining a flat, neutral spine under load
  2. 2Lower to a hamstring stretch, not spinal rounding
  3. 3Drive back up through hip extension, squeezing glutes
  4. 4Keep the weight controlled and close to the body

Key cues

  • Neutral spine under load, no rounding
  • Hip hinge, not a lumbar crunch
  • Squeeze glutes to extend
  • Control the weight, no jerking

Common faults

  • Adding load before mastering bodyweight form
  • Rounding the back under the added weight
  • Using momentum/bouncing at the bottom
  • Holding the weight too far from the body, increasing spinal shear

Tweaks

  • Progress from plate held at chest to behind-the-head loading
  • Add a pause at the top
  • Single-leg weighted version for advanced trainees

Regressions

45-Degree Back Extension (Bodyweight)

Progressions

Single-Leg Back Extension

Muscles

Primary: Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Erector Spinae

Secondary: Core

Notes

A common deadlift-assistance accessory in powerlifting programming once bodyweight reps become easy.

Sources

Attribution: NSCA / Barbell Medicine